Backlash Belief
by Djuva
Summary: For all of you, who have been awaiting the return of Roj Kell, this is a little story that deals with his travels into the Unknown Regions and his first encounter with the Abernake and his own Darker Side.
1. Doubts

"Do you believe?"

"Believe in what," he had asked.

He had felt her shrug as she had lain beside him. "Anything, really. Something that gives you purpose, that makes you do the things you – do."

He had noted that slight hesitation before she had finished. It had made him angry. "You believe I have no purpose in life? Then you have truly learned nothing," he had scolded her then. He could still remember her smile when she had turned over to look down at him and say, "If you truly believe that, you are not the man I have always thought you to be."

That had been then and this was now. Raising his head with a blank look in his pale eyes Roj Kell stabbed one end of his quarterstaff in the dusty ground beneath his feet and paused. Belief. What did anyone know of it? What did mere mortals know of faith and the power it commanded? Well, he knew, but he was no mere mortal. He always had to remember that. He _had_ a purpose, no matter how twisted it had become over the course of millennia. It was his faith that gave him strength, that had made him survive for so long. _Really? Then why have you fled that damn little Jedi instead of crushing him for his ignorance?_ a tiny little voice at the back of his mind sniggered nastily. _You gave him a riddle that will take him ages to solve. You could have broken his mind so easily with the truth instead. Why didn't you? _Because of what I have faith _in_, he replied to his self, feeling reasonably calm, but just a tiny bit annoyed. It was true. The confrontaton with the Jedi Master Yoda had upset him. There was an enemy worth keeping an eye on. _Then why are you here at the edge of the galaxy, where keeping an eye on that gnome is quite impossible? You are hiding!_ Not on the edge, beyond, he answered mildly. Far beyond. Civilisation does not rule here, this is raw, this is simple, basic. I can feel it all around. Can't you? _It is chaos_, his darker self replied. _It has potential, yes, but it is far easier to play where people are used to being manipulated._ It is not easy I am looking for. There is potential here, yes, and it will become a beginning. _You killed the apprentice and that Jedi killed the master. Why can't you just admit that you just cannot let go of the past? _It is all I have left. The past, and the future. This is a future, I can sense it. And a past too, though why I cannot tell yet. It is chaos, yes, but it is _my _chaos, and the opportunities it offers are mine alone to exploit. This is true faith. It is home.

He stopped his thoughts right there, his mind going blank, shutting down the evil little voice that kept on screaming and ranting at him about the past, about the home he had lost, the people he had left behind to die, the ones he had killed, the souls he had left broken. It was a trap, that, had to be. A test of his abilities. It was true, though, this place had called to him on a subconscious level. And when he had left Yoda he had truly fled, fearing that the Jedi's honest empathy would tear to shreds the shields he had so carefully constructed around the precious gift that he had been guarding jealously for the past two thousand years. Twice now those shields had failed and twice he had been rendered helpless by the unbending light of a kind soul. First Belana Jen, then Hagen Dycos. If he had allowed Yoda to find the way to unlock the fortress of his soul … unthinkable. He still _was_ the Heart of Darkness, until he had found a suitable successor. For a blissful moment he imagined that he could find that successor here. He imagined that he would be free, that he would be his own self once more, complete at last. Then a gust of dry wind shattered that fragile moment and made him cough out loud. What a miserable place. But it harboured such faith! Such faith that he had been drawn here like a priest to his prayer. Peace flooded his mind, and a fervour matched only by the gentleness that ran at its side. He did believe. Belief was all that was left to him. It _was_ his purpose. It could be no other way.

The dusty plains went on for as far as he could see, but there he thought he could make out a crack, a crevice, maybe. Perhaps it would offer some shelter from that accursed wind. Gritty dust was blowing all about him as he marched onward. There was life here, twinkling bright stars in his own personal universe. Intelligent life too, he found. Of course, only sentients could truly believe _in_ something. Everything else simply believed. He smiled at that observation. Just like himself. And yet, he was in two minds about his faith, that was clear to. A part of him was guardian to the memory of an ancient people, and more, the other was a cynical sadist, who liked nothing more than playing games. Curiously, most of times those two were working toward a common purpose. That was the reason, Kell thought, why he had not been neutralised yet. For where he was in two minds about his calling, what had given him his power was not. It knew his purpose and whenever he threatened to steer away from his plotted course it would intervene and he would do foolish things, like letting himself be defeated by a boy's grief for his enemies or intimidated by a Jedi Master he could have so easily crushed. It was a strange comfort, to know that he was being watched over so carefully, but over time he had deluded himself into believing that he could be independent and make his own rules. Comfort had been replaced by annoyance. How many times had he tried to shape the Sith into what they had once been, to recreate the people he had lost at the very beginning of his journey? He had always wanted to return to the simple, intense life he had known among his own, but outside of Os'jen'thana everything was complicated. Civilisation? You could keep it. And that, he mused, was a stupid thought. Civilisation was the perfect playground for a mind like his and for his purposes. Else he would have to have their utter loyalty and faith, which was impossible, or he would be fighting all the time. Which he would not be allowed to do. His hands clenched into tight fists in remembrance of too many occasions where he had been forced to stand back instead of doing things the simple, _right_ way. His way. _You have been a guardian for too long_, a tiny voice said softly in the back of his mind, _you have been allowed to evolve. Have you never wondered why?_ Yes. Why? That was a very good question. After all, Hagen Dycos could have taken over, the Jedi Master was what Kell should have been and would have been, had Exar Kun not taught him about the selfishness and pride of people and how to use it for one's own ends. Then why had he refused to name Hagen his successor? Part of it had been his own choice. He had not wanted Hagen's gentle soul to embrace the cold rationale that had long ago swallowed his own. He had wanted him to remain free of the heavy chains of purpose. The other part of that decision then had not been his choice. Not a thought to light his current mood, not at all.

The crevice was right ahead now and he could see that it was really a gorge, a long, large crack in the brown plains, a sanctuary. Walking further, he saw the lush forests and meadows that covered the bottom of the secluded valley and he could hear the roaring of a waterfall in the distance. Peace flooded his mind then, a sense of home-coming that was overpowering. And then he noticed the labyrinth. Like an open wound it sat there in the middle of the gorge. Kell stared at it for a long time and his gaze turned very thoughtful. Then, not really thinking abouut it, he started along a neat little pathway down the gorge, his eyes fixed solely on the abomination that sat there like a leer on the perfect face of tranquility. Once he had reached the valley floor he felt himself relax in the cool of the forest's shadows, but that lasted only for a moment. There was a noise to his right and the next moment a huge beast walked out of undergrowth, its striped fur camouflaging its giant form in the bewildering network of light and shadow that lay over the trees and forest ground. Roj Kell stared at it for a moment, then his gaze was diverted to the humanoid being that had appeared alongside it. The creature's body was clad in ridiculously bright clothes that would make it stand out even in a busy market place. Its skin, what was visible of it, was a shining bronze and black eyes regarded him calmly out of a flat-nosed, broad face. A rustle from behind told the Sith Lord that others were joining them now. But there was nothing he could sense, apart from the great beast right in front of him. He felt suddenly very exposed. "Who are you?" he demanded, wondering if they spoke Basic out here at all. Apparently they did not, for the humanoid thing facing him uttered an interrogative that sounded like no language he knew. And he knew quite a few. Unthinking, he let his mind stab into the creature's subconsciousness and drew the knowledge of that language out in a heart-beat. His counterpart flinched back, eyes widening, and opened its mouth so say something. Curious, Kell leaned toward it, and was therefore very much surpised when somehing hard and extremely heavy hit the back of his head the next instant. Then surprised was swallowed by pain and lost in darkness at last.

TBC


	2. The Guardian

Maraan was not happy. He was upset. And he let everyone know in no uncertain terms. Right now he was anxiously pacing the length of the queen's antechamber, impatiently waiting to be admitted into her presence. Occasionally he would glare out of the arching windows that offered a great view across the dusty brown plains of Lalesh, if that was your idea of a view at all. It wasn't his, that was for sure. He already missed his own home, Ooonda, yet he could hardly have refused when the Abernake's queen had called him here. The native Abernake of Lalesh were a pillar of the community that Maraan served as spiritual guide. They had wisdom and also, of course, some economical power. No one sold dyes equal to the Abernake merchants anywhere in these regions. Suddenly the door to the empress' study clicked open and a tall Abernake strolled out to greet him. They were all tall, as tall as Maraan's own people, but this one was exceptional. "Alen'Di, am I allowed to enter?" he addressed the queen's safekeeper not unkindly, while at the same time craning his neck to catch a glimpse into the room beyond. The Abernake named Alen'Di firmly moved to block his view. "The queen is awaiting you in the basement," he explained coolly. "You will follow me."

Maraan drew an exasperated breath. "You haven' left her alone with that creature, have you? That thing is dangerous!"

The Abernake gave him a cool look. "Star Keeper, it is quite unthinkable that it will be up to anything much right now, not with its head smashed in like that. It is a miracle it is not dead. And we will be lucky to find out what it is at all."

"Show me," Maraan growled.

Without another word Alen'Di turned and stalked away, the Star Keeper in tow. The high, airy hallways of the towers of the Central City of Lalesh wound down in gentle curves, like a fragile net of stone and sand. Occasionally the wind would get trapped in the long hallways and howl like a soul lost in time before it managed to free itself once more. And on some cool nights it would sing in tune with the gentle prayers offered in the Hall of Faith at the center of the highest tower. He shivered a tiny bit. Lalesh was a peaceful world and that peace permeated every one of its cities. But since the valley's guardians had brought in that pale, strange creature that had appeared without warning almost in the midst of the sanctuary, there was a discordant note in the what he thought of the ultimate harmony of Lalesh.

They rounded a last curve and found themselves in a windowless hall, that featured no decoration or furniture whatsoever. Glowing stones gave the only illumination. In the distance another entrance was a faint rectangle of pale light. Two guardians stood somewhat uneasily a little way off, obviously anxious to get back to the sanctuary, and with them was the queen. She was somewhat shorter than the three males, but then, she was just a child, wasn't she? By his own people's standards, that was. Maraan knew, of course, that the Abernake's culture did not include anything that might be called 'childhood'. She gave a slight bow as he came closer. "Star Keeper, I am pleased that you could find your way down here," she said formally. He shrugged. "You know, it wasn't hard, I just had to follow Alen'Di here," he explained and shot a small grin at the safekeeper, who ignored him. The queen though smiled in response to his small joke, but then her black eyes turned toward the thing that lay at the two guardians' feet, motionless. Its skin was unnaturally pale, and grey hair grew long on its skull and short above its eyes, but not anywhere else that he could see. To Maraan, whose species bore a full-body coat of chestnut-coloured fur and the Abernake, who were bald all over, this was indeed a curious sight. Apart from that it appeared to be a biped with the usual appendages. No claws, he noted. Good. Without asking permission first he knelt at the cretaure's side and delicately ran his long fingers over its forehead. Fractured bone protruded from torn skin at the back of its head and there was a lot of blood and other fluids.

"Is it alive?" he asked quietly and one of the guardians replied just as softly, "We believe yes, though it is hard to detect any life signs. There is a pulse, very slow, and its does still breathe. We do not believe it will survive."

"A pity. I would have loved to know what it is. A strange species," he mused aloud.

Then the queen cut in, "I will have Alen'Di uncover the whereabouts of its transport. There must be some traces. And when we find it, I am sure it will offer some clues as to this thing's identity, and its species. Certainly the healers will want a go at the corpse, should it perish after all. Can you heal it, Star Keeper?" she concluded coldly.

Looking up at her Maraan gave a slow nod. "I will do my best. But it will take time, I first have to familiarise myself with its mind."

"Do what you can," she told him then, already turning away. "Alen'Di will give any assistance you might need. I do not want this thing to become a danger, but I do not want to withhold any help we might be able to give either. You two," she addressed the guardians briskly, "return to your posts in the sanctuary." With these words she swept away, not even waiting for Alen'Di to catch up with her. The tall Abernake lingered a moment longer with Maraan and his patient, a cold look in his eyes. "Take care, Star Keeper. I would not want the queen's trust to be disappointed." And then he was gone too, hurrying after his charge with the fluid grace of a true warrior. Alen'Di was, to Maraan's knowledge, the only Abernake who had ever served with an army. Thus his status as safekeeper and national hero. If ever the Abernake came under attack Alen'Di would be the one they would look to, even the queen. For a moment Maraan felt his heart grow cold with worry. He knew Alen'Di well, he was an intelligent being, ruthless when he had to be, but the Abernake were not a people of warriors. He imagined Alen'Di next to Rhen Joul, the mighty warlord of distant Foulhan and Salva of the Star Alliance's armed forces, under whom Alen'Di had served for a while, and heaved a tiny sigh. Both were competent in their own special ways, but in a battle Maraan would set his cards on Rhen Joul rather than Alen'Di. And this strange creature that had appeared so unexpectedly in the midst of the sanctuary, what portent was he to read into that? Gazing down at its face once more he frowned. If the Abernake were anything remotedly comparable to this species this creature was old. He examined its clothes, articfical fabrics, that somehow did not suit it at all. The drab black and grey colours seemed like a cocoon that hid something very different in its folds. Well, perhaps he would learn more once he found the key to its mind. Closing his eyes he reached for the pendant that hung on a leather cord around his neck. The yellow stone reacted instantly when he touched it, its warm glow gradually lightened the cavelike room.

He felt it reach out to his mind and to the creature lying before him. It allowed him to communicate in a universal language that was understood on a subconscious level, the only possibility to reach a mind so seriously wounded by the guardians' unfortunate enthusiasm in the pursuit of their duties down in the sanctuary. The more surprised was he when all he encountered was a blank wall of nothing. Alarmed, he tried to find something, a tiny crack, anything, but when he pushed deeper there was a warning nudge at the back of his own mind, a gentle hint not to try and go further. With a shudder he let go of the pendant and opened his eyes once more, only to recoil in shock as he watched the broken bone of the thing's skull move and fuse into a whole of its seeming own accord. Impossible! Suddenly the creature's eyes opened and stared straight at him, totally focused. He gave a start at the intensity of its gaze, never mind the curious pale colour of its eyes. Very slowly Maraan got to his feet, intent on not startling the creature as he rose. The thing's eyes followed his progress unblinking. Looking into those orbs, a pale, watery green, he found peace in the roaring fires that burned in their depth with the truth of the universe. Terrified, he took a hurried step back. "Who are you?" the thing rasped out in the Abernake's own language. Maraan froze. "What is this place?" it continued and moved to rise. Seemingly dizzy, it slowly shook its head, then sat back again.

"The place is called Lalesh, my name is Maraan, I am from Ooonda," the Star Keeper explained at last and curiously stepped closer. "How do you feel?"

"Empty," the creature replied and whip-lash smile appeared on its face and was gone again. "Ooonda? Where is that, exactly?"

"It is part of the Shenos Cluster, if that means anything to you," Maraan answered helpfully.

The creature fowned. "No, it does not. How did I come to be here? Is this a cave?"

"No, this is Lalesh's capital, the basement, to be precise. You were found in the sanctuary, some guards thought you to be a danger and – injured you. The wounds were very grave. How come you heal so fast? We thought you would die for sure!" And how come your mind is closed to me? he wanted to continue, but something told him to tread cautiously here. The creature simply glared at him, then rose fully. Standing on two legs it was a little shorter than Maraan, and compared to the Star Keeper it appeared almost frail. "What do you call yourself?" Maraan asked at last. "Do you remember how you came to be here?"  
"No." The creature shook its head and frowned. "I don't remember at all." Maraan saw it stiffen suddenly and he thought he knew what it would feel like to be paralysed with uncertainty. But then, faster than he had anticipated, it relaxed once more and leaned its head back to gaze up at the ceiling. "What is this noise?" it asked softly.

Straining to hear, Maraan nodded to himself. "That is only the wind. It gets caught in the spires, and - "

"No, that is not what I mean," the creature interrupted him harshly. "There is something else, like peace, like - happiness." Its voice faltered and in the following silence all Maraan could hear was his own breathing. Perfectly still, he tried not to disturb the creature's concentration. It was obvious that it was trying to remember what it was, who it was. And such things took time, that he had learned over the years he had served as Star Keeper.

"I – " the creature closed its eyes, then whispered. "I remember- something. A feeling." Again it grew silent and then, so abrupt that Maraan jumped back a step, it turned toward the Star Keeper. "How brave are you, Maraan of Ooonda?" it asked and walked close."Can you stand up to chaos? Can Lalesh survive its onslaught?"

"What do you mean?" the Maraan demanded, his voice trembling with sudden fear. "Who are you? _What_ are you?"

The creature flashed him another smile. "I do not know, all I know is that I am on a world called Lalesh with someone called Maraan. Curious, is it not?"

"Then why did you mention chaos?" He gave a screeching hoot of terror when the thing took hold of his arm and drew him close. "Let go!" But it did not comply. Instead Maraan found himself on the floor the next instant, pinned in place by the weight of the creature's body as it straddled him. His coat rippling with fear, Maraan considered crying out for help, but who was there to hear him? They had all gone! "I am leaving now," the thing growled suddenly, "and you will not stop me, clear? Stay where you are." Relieved, Maraan gave a mute nod and a moment later the weight was lifted from his back. He heard the creature move away, heard the crunch of the soles of its boots on the fine sand.

Then, suddenly, Alen'Di's angry voice, "I warned you!"

Surprised, Maraan twisted around to see. There was Alen'Di, tall and imposing, facing the creature down, a pair of Lappa Dek sticks in his hands. "Alen'Di!" the Star Keeper called out, overcome with a righteous fury that propelled him out of his paralysis and next to the Abernake. "You will not use a weapon! Remember who you are!" Just then the creature bolted and ran. It vanished into the garish brighhtness of the day a moment later and was gone. With a grunt Alen'Di threw the sticks to the ground before him, but his black eyes were flashing furously as he turned to look straight at Maraan. "You have seen nothing," he grated out coldly. "If this finds its way to the queen's ears I will hold you responsible."  
"You cannot hold me responsible for your own actions," the Star Keeper shot back. "I only reminded you of your own customs. The Abernake do not bear weapons to attack. No matter what you have learned with the Lappa."

"You let it get away," the safekeeper said, ignoring Maraan's lecture. "How come it recovered so fast?"

"I have no idea," he sighed. "Will you have someone follow it?"  
Alen'Di nodded, "Of course."

"Another thing," the Star Keeper continued. "For how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to hear that this thing is dangerous. If there is one thing I have learned with the Lappa, it is to never let a danger turn into catstrophe. It is unstable, as I am sure you will agree. As long as it has not found its memory it is extremely unpredictable. I would rather have it confined to the spire than running around on the plains unchecked."

"But you will not kill it."

Alen'Di flashed him a smile in response, then whirled away. Left alone in the cool embrace of the dark basement, Maraan was very still for a while. Then he left too.

TBC


	3. History

Quickening his pace outside in the spiralling hallway Alen'Di felt his mind race. On one hand he trusted Maraan's judgement, on the other, he had seen enough outside Lalesh to know never to underestimate anything or anyone. When he had first met Rhen Joul, the Lappan warlord wo served as commander of the Star Alliance's army, the warrior had presented a gift to him, a strange fruit that smelled deliciously and was, as Joul had told him quite dispassionately, mildly poisonous. Mind you, he had said that only _after_ Alen'Di had taken a polite bite out of it. And then he had smiled that famous Lappan smile, that went all the way to his ears. Never trust first sight, that lesson had taught Alen'Di, and so it was that he would not trust Maraan's words alone. They knew nothing about that creature's origins, its powers, its knowledge. Of course, it had appeared pretty helpless, wounded as it was, but it had recovered in record time and overwhelmed Maraan easily. Not to be underestimated, then. And what had it been doing down in the sanctuary? Of course, reason told him that the valley offered shelter from the plains' dusty winds, but had that been the only reason? He had also overheard what the creature had said, that it was hearing something in the winds of Lalesh. Alen'Di was no priest like Maraan, he believed in the gods of Lalesh and their communion with the peoples of the Star Alliance, yes, and the Star Keeper was prone to mistakes, just as everyone else. Plus, Maraan had seemed worried by the creature's words. A low sigh passed through the spire as the wind blew down the upper hallways. Alen'Di paused and decided not to join the queen for now. He would attend personally to the capture of that creature. Turning on his heel he almost ran down another hallway and down a flight of stairs until he reached the crowded Market Plaza. It was set in the low connecting corridor between the central spire and its northern counterpart, and at this time of the year it was filled daily with foreign merchants hawking their wares and their brightly-clad customers, and with youths going through the praying routines led by an older member of the congregation. The smell of dyes hung above everything. A couple of guardians were keeping watch here, to see to it that the merchants behaved themselves. They each wore a pair of Lappa Dek sticks fastened to their belts, just in case. It was a defensive weapon, no matter what Maraan thought, serviceable only in close combat and designed to strike fear into a prospective attacker, perhaps counter a blow, no more. He steered towards the guardians purposefully, when a hand reached out to take hold of his sleeve. Turning around, Alen'Di gently twisted out of the other's grasp and smiled, when he recognised his son Ni'ley. The youth wore a bright red tunic, with yellow stripes down the cuffs, and a round cap the same red colour. A novelty, that. His expression was very earnest even as he blinked translucent eyelids reassuringly at his father. "I've met Ha'ro on his way back to the sanctuary," he explained, and Alen'Di groaned inwardly at the excitement that had crept into the youth's voice without Ni'ley's noticing. "He says they've found a stranger in there. Is that true?"

"You're not going to ask to see it, are you?" Alen'Di asked back calmly. The youth shook his head. "Good. 'Cause I wouldn't have let you anyway."

Ni'ley gave him a sheepish smile that could not truly hide his disappointment. But Abernake society was very strict. The youths were given the tasks best suited to their skills and best suited to the needs of the society. And since Ni'ley had displayed a creative mind and a vivid imagination early on, that had predestined him to start on clothcraft. The tunic he wore was his own design, one of the less flamboyant ones he had created in his now two years as master tailor. Secretly, though, he craved the adventures he believed a guardian's life entailed. He would have been mightily disappointed, if he knew the real truth. Ha'ro was one of Ni'ley's closer friends, and liked to exaggerate on his duties and their importance. Unfortunately.

"Ha'ro talks too much," Alen'Di growled to himself, then flashed a smile at his son, "Nothing to worry about," he said, "you know the rules. Now run along, your customers are waiting, I suspect." Thus dismissed, Ni'ley lowered his head in a slight bow, then darted away. Shaking his head irritably, Alen'Di continued toward the guardians, who had taken notice of him by now and awaited his arrival with an expectant air about them. "You've heard of the creature that was found in the sanctuary," he began without preamble and they nodded in unison. "It's escaped and is loose on the planet. Keep an eye out. I would not want panic to spread in here of all places. So keep a close guard over especially the entrances. Clear?"

"Clear," they replied hurriedly, then moved in opposite directions toward the two great entrances to the hall. Thus reassured, Alen'Di continued through the throng of people until he found the next best hallway that would lead him to the guardians' headquarters. Time to take up pursuit of that thing. It would not have gotten far, and the ground-skimmers the Abernake used as transport across the plains were faster than any biped of that built anyway. When he found Maraan standing next to Cri'll, the female that was in charge of the outer guard perimeter, he was just a little surprised. "You will be accompanying us, Star Keeper?" he asked lightly even as he passed the priest on the way to the skimmer that Cri'll had selected for their venture.

His dark brown fur rippling in discomfort, Maraan gave a tiny nod, then replied, "I think it prudent. Besides, I have an inkling of where it might be going."  
"Fancy that. I don't suppose you mean the sanctuary, do you?" Alen'Di retorted coolly and ignored Maraan's surprised gasp, as he swung onto the driver seat of the skimmer. "Come on board. Five guardians with us, Cri'll, five more will join us from the contingent stationed in the sanctuary."

"Yes, Alen'Di," she answered calmly and quickly talked to a male standing a little behind her. Her aide, Alen'Di knew, and incidentally her husband. Then she ushered five guardians into the back compartment of the skimmer and, joined by a reluctant Maraan, climbed up into the driver's compartment.

"How did you guess?" the Star Keeper inquired softly.

"I heard you talking, didn't I?"

"Ah, yes." Maraan fell silent, but only for a short while. Then he said, "Ten guardians? That sounds like overkill."  
Alen'Di set the skimmer into motion. "One can never be too cautious."

The bright daylight hit them full force as they left the underground hangar and blinded him for a moment. "There," Cri'll pointed out, "to the right. Do you see the black dot?"

"That's our quarry," Alen'Di murmured under his breath and let the skimmer pick up speed. As he had anticipated, the creature had not gone far. But then, the sanctuary wasn't that far either. It would reach its edge before they could reach it. "Why the sanctuary, Maraan? What does it feel down there?"

"Peace, it says," the Star Keeper replied over the roar of the engines. "At least I think it was the sanctuary it meant, when it spoke of peace."

"Hardly credible, don't you think? If it is so sensitive, it should be feeling something entirely different," Alen'Di shot back, frowning.

"Have faith," was all the Star Keeper replied then, and the safekeeper could just imagine the smile on the priest's face.

They passed the fleeing creature just as it vanished down the ledge and Alen'Di drove on, to a ramp that had been specially built to allow the ground-skimmers to get down to the bottom of the valley. Donw below the five guardians Cri'll had assigned to support them already stood waiting. Wordlessly, Alen'Di shut down the skimmer's engines and dismounted along with his companions. No machines were allowed beyond this point, for a very special reason. This was a sanctuary, and as such destined to remain pristine and untouched by the influence of the Abernake or any other people. In the distance the roaring of a waterfall could be heard, one of the three rivers that cut through the plains of Lalesh and pooled together in a large lake in the sanctuary. Alen'Di thought briefly of the lure of water to the creature that had to be parched by now. But no, they would not capture it there. The labyrinth was the place, that he was certain of. "All right," he spoke up once his troops were assembled before him. "We do not want to kill the creature that has broken into the sanctuary. We only want to confine it. That means capturing it. It is intelligent, so we – that is, Star Keeper Maraan – will try to convince it to surrender and follow us back to the capital. Since this thing is not shy to attack those who threaten its freedom, you will all be carrying your Dek sticks. Sorry, Star Keeper, but I believe that necessary. I do not want to endanger my troops." Maraan gave a reluctant nod, but his cobalt blue eyes narrowed in disapproval. Alen'Di ignored that quite pointedly. "It will come to the labyrinth's center and we will form a circle, so it cannot escape. Wait for my command, do not attack, and let Maraan do the talking. Let's go."

The small contingent marched across the meadows that dominated this part of the valley, with the forest to their right and the lake beyond that. Large and small boulders lay any which way in the vicinity of the labyrinth and the Abernake had to climb across them cautiously, to reach the labyrinth from this direction. There was a main entrance that allowed easier access, of course, but Alen'Di suspected that the creature would use that one, and he did not want to put it off. He heard Maraan give a low curse in his own language, when a bit of stone crumbled away underneath his foot. Then the center of the labyrinth came into view and Alen'Di held up his hand to stop the guardians' advance. There was their quarry, standing with its head bowed right in the middle of the labyrinth, seemingly not noticing anything that went on around it. Wordlessly, he pointed left and right, and immediately the ten guardians spread out in a loose circle, leaving only Maraan, Cri'll and Alen'Di himself. "Your turn," the safekeeper mouthed quietly at Maraan, who went ahead across the sharp stone walls of the laybrinth, with more skill than Alen'Di would have given him credit for. Slipping forward and following, Cri'll and Alen'Di both kept their Dek sticks at the ready. They saw Maraan drop into the labyrinth's center and the creature turn to face him. For a moment they were frozen like that, then one of the guardians, stationed on the far side of where Alen'Di and his companion crouched on the labyrinth wall, lost his footing and fell with a sharp cry of pain. Instinctively, his companions stood to help, thereby revealing not only their position, but also making it quite clear that this had been meant to be a trap at all. Alen'Di felt his mind flush with sudden anger and fear. There was no telling how the creature would react, and Maraan stood alone and exposed there in the center with it!

Maraan flinched when he heard the guardian fall and cry out. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the Abernake's companions rise from their positions to see whether he needed help and his gaze quickly flicked back toward where the creature stood. It was staring hard at the circle of guardians, but did not move. Then it turned its head to look straight at Maraan. Under that gaze he unconsciously hunched his shoulders, trying to make himself appear small and harmless, but, to his surprise, the creature simply turned to flee, and was blocked by two Abernake, who waved their Dek sticks threateningly, to discourage it from leaving. It took a few steps back again, eyes hunting for a way to escape between the advancing guardians. They all held sticks in their hands, Maraan noticed in mounting horror. "No!" he cried out and waved at Alen'Di to get his attention, when the safekeeper appeared above him, standing perfectly balanced on the slim labyrinth wall. But the warrior's gaze was fixed only on the creature. "Do not let it get away!" he ordered sharply, then dropped down to stand beside Maraan. "Your turn, Star Keeper. Talk some sense into it, if you can," he continued, then went forwad to join the ring of guardians who now completely encircled the creature. Cri'll followed close behind. Bustling up to grab hold of Alen'Di's arm Maraan hissed, "It does not work that way! What if it attacks?"

"Talk to it!" Alen'Di growled back. "Now!" And with these words he pushed the Star Keeper into the circle.

Maraan took a deep breath and held up his hands toward the creature to show that he held no weapon. "Look, I do not want to harm you," he began, but the creature only flashed him a broad smile, before it interrupted him and said, "Maybe not, but was there any need to bring these along? Get out of my way!" it continued in a furious screech and lunged at the guardians who stood closest to the labyrinth's entrance. He had to hand it to them, they were not easily frightened, and there was no rule for an Abernake not to defend himself. A slim thread of blood whirled up into the air from where a Dek stick had scratched across the creature's cheek, and the next instant the teeth-jarring crack of bone preceded a terrible scream. Maraan managed to duck out of the way when one of the guardians was hurled into the ranks of his companions and he could tell by the way he landed that he was dead.

"Get it!" Alen'Di roared and jumped across the still crouching form of the Star Keeper.

"No!" Maraan called out, pleading. No one would listen.

The guardians single-mindedly closed off the only clear way of escape and forced the creature to seek another way out, provoking another attack, and another, and yet another. When he saw Cri'll smash against one of the stone walls and slide to the ground, motionless, Maraan, propelled onward by righteous anger, strode through the throng of guardians that were battering at the frantic creature as it tried to free itself and arrived just as Alen'Di lashed out with his Dek stick again, a move that would have sealed his fate, had the Star Keeper not bravely stepped forward to interfere.

Batting aside the long, whip-like stick that had left a bloody gash on the creature's neck, he made use of the thing's momentary distraction and made a grab for its arms, before it could lunge at Alen'Di. His fingers locking tight about sinewy, bony wrists, Maraan took a deep breath and prayed that he had judged the creature right. He saw its pale eyes widen in outrage as it turned to face him, but it did not try to break away. Instead it stared down at his hands, then back up at him, a fierce snarl on its face. "Let go," it growled.

"No, I will not," Maraan explained calmly and waited. The creature kept still, though he could sense its body tense, like a coiled spring. But it made no move to defend itself. Instead it let its eyes wander suspiciously over the rank of guardians, who had stopped their assault as soon as Maraan's hands had locked tight. Maraan felt pleased. Just as he had thought. It would not attack him, though he was certain that it could free itself easily from his grasp. Yet it had realised that its hunters respected Maraan and that he would protect it, if it co-operated with him. "Let go," it said again, nevertheless, its voice a low whisper now, almost desperate. So, an independent mind that hated being forced to act against its nature. Maraan smiled as friendly as he could. "What happens if I do?" he asked just as softly.

It snapped back, "Why don't you find out?"

"Please, for your own good, do not try to run again, do not attack, just keep still and trust me. Can you trust me?" Maraan concluded hopefully and wished the creature could sense his sincerity just as he could sense its suspicion. "I will protect you," he added after a while, when there still was no answer.

Something flashed across the thing's features then, a hint of hysteria and incredulity. It barked a laugh that could also have been a growl, then shook its head. "Trust you?" it asked roughly, then jerked its wrists out of Maraan's grip with a strength he had not expected. Worry creasing his brow the Star Keeper stumbled forward with the pull, and reached out imploringly to stop the creature from fleeing again. It took only one step back, its pale eyes still fixed on Maraan. "Before I can trust you, you will tell me exactly what has happened here in this place. I can feel it call to me, but I do not understand it. It makes my skin itch just to stand here and not be able to do anything about what I can sense. Can't you feel it?" it accused, sweeping an arm around to encompass the entire labyrinth.

Nodding in acquiescence, Maraan dropped to the ground where he sat, legs crossed before him, and motioned for the guardians to follow his lead. Alen'Di was the last to comply. For a long moment the creature stood in their midst, frowning, obviously caught in their circle of passive resistance. It could not leave, Maraan realized triumphantly, not without being forced to leave! That revelation was elating, but also worrying. What then was keeping it? Curiosity? Empathy? From what it had just said he deduced that it was the latter. Shuddering, he hunched his shoulders against the oncoming chill of the night and watched the labyrinth's shadows lengthen threateningly. "All right," he began, and to his relief the creature crouched down before him, obviously content to listen to his tale for now. "The Abernake are a peaceful people, you must know. They do not like to have to attack or defend themselves, they prefer to give rather than take. It is a rewarding way of life out here, for almost every other people has to struggle to survive, and their constant battles make them appreciate the model society of the Abernake, a paradise they believe they can achieve too, some day.

The Abernake give them hope and peace. Which is why they come here to worship. Not all of them," he corrected himself once more," but most. All those who have faith and believe." He saw the creature flinch back, as if it remembered something. Then it shook off those memories and nodded at Maraan to continue. The Star Keeper wetted his lips nervously and continued, "It was a long, long time ago, when this place was no more than a fertile gorge, where the underground rivers and lakes come together to form swamps, meadows and lush forests. Back then the Abernake did not come here often. They have adapted to the plains and their underground caves, you must know. And they were a secretive people then, that liked to keep to itself. But one day strange starships came to Lalesh. Their crews were strange creatures, bipeds like us, warriors, like you, perhaps, and they were all exhausted, most of them were injured. They tried to hide from the Abernake at first, perhaps they did not want to draw attention to themselves, but the king back then ordered a contingent of Abernake to extend his best wishes to the newcomers and offer them help. They brought back the leader of the strangers and he told the king that he could not accept the Abernake's kindness. They were being hunted, he explained, and their hunters were not far. They would not stay long, just rest for a while. He did not want to endanger the Abernake, he said. What do you call yourselves? the king asked, curious and moved by the stranger's tale. We are the last of our people, the stranger's leader explained, and we know that we will not escape our hunters. The king was saddened by that response and he ordered his own people to help heal the strangers. Their leader did not resist. He was moved by the Abernake's kindness, and ashamed that he could not repay them for it. The king tried to reassure him that no payment was required, and succeeded. Then came the day when their hunters arrived. Their leader was determined not to endanger the Abernake further. We will leave at once, he said and ordered their retreat. But their hunters would not let the ships go. The stranger's leader asked the Abernake to go underground and hide, until they had managed to either throw back their hunters or had all perished. The king saw the wisdom in that decision. The Abernake had no weapons and the people hunting the strangers were fierce and knew no mercy. With a heavy heart he agreed to their request. The Abernake assembled in the great caverns below the plains to pray for their new friends, they trusted in their faith to protect them. The planet shook with the impact of heavy weapons on its surface for days. When everything had fallen silent again the Abernake still continued to pray. It is said that they only stopped when all the underground lakes had turned red with blood. Then they went outside. The refugees had tried to take the fight as far away from the Abernake settlements as they could, but their hunters had herded them into the gorge, where they had a free field of fire. Their weapons had left deep scars in the center of the gorge, where the fugitives had assembled for their final stand, and carved this labyrinth we now sit in," Maraan explained softly. "It was unclear whether survivors had been taken captive by the hunters or not. The labyrinth was filled with torn and mutilated bodies that could no longer be identified, let alone counted. Their death had not come easy."

"I know," the creature whispered, and Maraan was surprised to see tears in its eyes. "I can sense them, I can feel them dying. And I can feel the Abernake's prayers." It took a shuddering breath. "I can still feel them, they are everywhere. This is why you call this a sanctuary, is it not? You come here to pray and remember."

Maraan nodded in satisfaction. "Yes. One of our congregation serves as Star Keeper to lead the prayer. A lot of people assemble here regularly."

"I know," the creature replied, then smiled and rose. It walked over to where Maraan was still seated on the ground and knelt down before him. "Their dead still listen," he murmured, "and they remember the Abernake's kindness too." Then his features turned earnest. "There _were_ survivors," he said with a shudder. "Their fear is all around. Their future was uncertain. I do not know what happened to them."  
"You _are_ a priest! I knew it!" Maraan shouted then and jumped to his feet in excitement. "When we found you and you had come straight here, I suspected, and then you returned to the sanctuary!" he babbled on, grabbing the creature's shoulders in joy. "You remember!"

"No, I don't," the thing replied gently and pried Maraan's fingers open. "Not yet. But I will." With a curious expression on its face it reached out to take hold of the glowing stone Maraan wore on a cord around his neck. "What is that?"

"A sign of office, a pendant," the Star Keep explained, then hurriedly snatched the stone out of the other's grasp. "Why, do you think, you have come here? If you are a priest, you must have had a purpose in coming here."

The creature shook its head. "As I said, I do not remember."

"Will you accompany us back to the capital?" Maraan inquired gently. "You have killed two of our people."  
"They attacked me first," the creature growled back, unmoved.

"I did not accuse you," the Star Keeper replied, having anticipated that answer. "All I ask is that you honour their deaths."  
The creature hesitated. "Honour their deaths? They are _dead_, Star Keeper. I have honoured their lives, until they foolishly sought to attack me. That is all I can offer, I fear."

Maraan stood there pole-axed, realising gradually that this single statement said more about the creature than he had wanted to know. "Nevertheless," he managed, "you will accompany us."

The creature seemed to consider this. For some reason it shot a glance at Alen'Di, and for a moment Maraan feared it would attack the safekeeper after all. But no, that danger had passed, had it not? "Will you honour the deaths of the other people who died here innocently?" he asked suddenly, and smiled in triumph at the expression that flashed across the creatures face.

"What?" it asked, perplexed. "Innocently? How do you know?"

Maraan shrugged that question off. "Their lives were not honoured by those who slew them, is that not so?"

"They were honoured by the Abernake," the other snorted in reply. "That is all that is needed. They will not be forgotten."

"But surely –"  
"I think you do not understand, Star Keeper. To honour live does not mean to dishonour death. They fought bravely, but they were not strong enough. What is weak succumbs to the strong. It is that simple."

"Is it?" Maraan murmued softly and shared a glance with Alen'Di. Was it worth keeping this thing alive? What if there were more, who though the same? Would they not be a danger to the Star Alliance's community? That was what Alen'Di would be thinking, and Rhen Joul. But Maraan was different. He thought, horrifying as that was, that the creature truly believed what it was saying. "I thought you valued life. You found peace here, you said," he tried once more.  
The creature smiled again, and Maraan found that he was coming to loath that smile. "I do value life," it answered roughly. "And the reason why I can feel peace prevail in this sanctuary is because the death of these people is remembered, even now. You remember it because of itself, not because of some grand deed. This is why I came here," it continued more slowly, and Maraan felt hope surge forward in his mind. Could it be remembering? But then it shook its head impatiently and frowned. "There is something, I cannot quite grasp it yet." Suddenly its eyes focused on Maraan once more. "Be patient," it said, "I will remember soon enough."

TBC


	4. First Contact

Rhen Joul was not easily cowed. He had fought many battles, he had hunted in the Deep Seas and he prided himself of having overcome being surprised ever again. But, frankly, he was perplexed now. Of course, it would not do to show that to his subordinates. Therefore he replied to his Rhyall's last statement with a sharp bark of dismissal, "That's nonsense."

The Rhyall gave him a worried glance. "Salva Rhen Joul, I do not wish to be disrespectful, but our readers – "

"The readers be damned!" Joul roared and loomed over the cowering Rhyall, his grey gills quivering with anger. "They cannot simply have snuck up on us without our scouts ever catching a whiff of them! We know how to guard our borders! Don't we? I said, don't we?" The Rhyall nodded hurriedly, but Rhen Joul was no yet finished with his tirade. "The planet's gravity would never have allowed them to drop out of hyperspace that close! I think you are trying to hide the fact that you and your colleagues have not been paying attention! Hah?"

The Rhyall gave up. He hung his head meekly and shrugged. "If you say so."

"I didn't quite catch that!" Rhen Joul snarled. "What?"

"I said," the unfortunate Rhyall repeated miserably, but in a louder tone of voice, "that if you say so it must be that way."

The Salva bellowed a laugh. "Hah! Are you trying to placate me? Well, it isn't working, I can tell you that! Why did they manage to get so close without us detecting them, can you tell me that, Mr. Clever?"

"No," the Rhyall mumbled.

Rhen Joul deflated a bit and suddenly there was nothing boisterous about him any more, only something very deadly. "Then let's find out, that would be a start. Don't you think? There's only two of their ships. I say we crush them, then see what we can salvage. Perhaps the wreckage will give us a clue." Slowly, he turned toward the viewport of his flagship and maintained a calm air despite the horror he felt. Only two. But how _had _they managed to escape their sensors? "Inform the Council on Foulhan," he ordered quietly. "We are going to attack."

The three ships under his command were heavy Shock Cruisers, much bigger than what he thought were scout ships deployed by the enemy. It never occurred to him that the crews aboard those two vessels might not have hostile intentions. Leaning forward, he gripped the railing circling the command stand in the midst of the command center of his flagship and frowned hard at the organic things that flitted across space as if taunting him. "This is a trap," he whispered suddenly. "To see how we will react."

"Sir?" The Rhyall seemed uncertain.

But Rhen Joul never was. "Zoom in on that moon there, will you?" A smile split his face in half as he found his suspicon confirmed. In Foulhan's Deep Sea a hunter could never be too cautious. And one could never know where a craken might be lurking. These predators could make their skin take on the texture and colour of anything they rested on, be it fine sand on the bottom of the ocean or the rocky cliffs of the coast. Their attack came quickly and was deadly. Every time. Either you saw the craken first or you never did. "You see the ship hiding above that moon? The surface looks almost like the stone formations in the valley below it. But they haven't quite been able to get the shadows right." It was, he had to admit, a very impressive ship. And very big.

"Sir, are we still going to attack?"

"If we turn to flee now, they will know we have seen through the trap and will destroy us. They might even destroy us anyway," Rhen Joul added lightly, "but first, let's give them a taste of what we can do." With a grunt he snatched up the head-comm that would connect him to the commanders of the sentinel ships guarding his vessel. "Rhyall Al Der, Rhyall Shyyn Ru, deploy half of your fighters each and have them herd those two ships over towards the moon. Now." The order related, he bent over the curving display that made up the right side of the railing. It glowed with a dull, yellow light. The two enemy vessels were two red dots, and they were now joined by a third that was positioned right above the dark blob representing the small moon.

"Sir, that ship will attack for sure, if we threaten to blow its cover," his ship's Rhyall, whose name was Horal Shir, tried once more.

Rhen Joul calmly turned to look at him. "Yes," he replied. "That is almost certain. I am anxious to see if they might not spring another surprise on us."

He looked up at the giant screen that dominated the entire front of the command center to see two flights of Lappayan fighters pass across it. They were slim ships that glowed silver in the light of the stars, like a school of tiny fish flitting through the Deep Sea. They were incredibly fast. Nevertheless, the enemy ships matched them easily. "The maneuverability is impressive," Horal Shir murmured under his breath and for a moment his lips peeled back in a display of sharp teeth and grey gills that flashed white with anxiety for just a moment.

"It is, "Rhen Joul agreed quietly. "Let's move. Rhyalls, keep pace but keep the distances as they are." The three Shock Cruisers surged forward, following the silver fighters. Those had a hard time controlling the flight path of the two scout ships. But the moon up ahead and the three cruisers following behind were slowly closing the net. When the scout ships tried to escape by changing their course upward Rhen Joul did not have to say a word. The two flights of fighters moved in to block their path instantly. Now it got tricky. The two scouts could not escape the box the Lappayan ships formed with the moon as fourth wall, so to speak. They had tried to get away before the cruisers could come close enough to make identifying the larger ship lurking above the surface of the moon with sensors rather unnecessary. Now the giant ship would either strike, or –

Horal Shir jerked back when space exploded in a display of orange light. The cruiser shook under the impact and he was thrown forward against the railing. Rhen Joul, he found, had instinctively followed the force of the blow and leaped down into the crew pit surrounding the command stand. "Sir!" Horal Shir called out desperately.

"We've been hit aft," the Salva replied coolly, "just as I thought. Abandon the assignment. Rhyalls, call back your fighters. We are leaving. And before we do, I want an identification of that big ship up ahead. No scanners, mind you. We'll have to identify it on sight, should we encounter it again. Then draw back. How many ships behind us?"  
"Four. Scout ships, like the other two," Horal Shir replied, eying the display critically." There'll be more, watching us."  
"Now you understand," Rhen Joul answered, pleased. "Let's get out of here. But not back to Foulhan." His expression turned grim. "I will want a stop-over at Lalesh. I hear the Star Keeper is currently the Abernake's guest."  
"A long way," Rhyall Horal Shir muttered, "just to hear Maraan babble on about cosmic harmony."

"You'd prefer chaos, Horal?" Rhen Joul shot back, denying his second title and surname deliberately. "Only a fool would want that."

Horal Shir's gills flashed a dark grey as he replied, "Your orders for the fleet?"

"They are on a reconnaissance mission and their scouts have been seen. They will retreat a bit and we will increase the patrols on our borders. Put the order out. And get us out of here. Now." With that Rhen Joul left the bridge. On his way to the machine room he met senior machinist Wou Thyl, who looked agitated. "I heard from the navigator," he began without preamble. "Salva, I must protest your decision to travel to Lalesh. We have been hit hard, and I cannot guarantee that the ship will hold out that long. We need to return Rfyrk to the docks of Foulhan."

Rhen Joul gave him a level look, then nodded. He trusted Whou Thyl's judgement implicitly. And, besides, the enemy might have a scout follow his contingent to see where they were headed. That they had gone to the length to design this trap only to study his tactics also told him, chilling as it was, that they probably already knew about Foulhan. Not a comforting thought. "Then I will take a fighter out to Lalesh. It will be faster anyway," he said. Two guards with him. Yes. That would suffice. "Rhyall Horal Shir will bring the ships back to Foulhan." At just that moment the deck lurched underneath their feet and he lashed out to balance himself against the nearest wall of narrow passageway. "I'll see you all later," he added, then stalked away. The passageway was riddled with reinforced holes and for a moment Rhen Joul considered slipping into one of them and taking a crawlway down to the hangar, but decided against it. Without water to propel him through they were fairly claustrophobic even for his tastes. By the time he had reached the ship's lower belly, where the silver fighters were tethered, two pilots were already waiting for him. One handed him his own gear. "The Rhyall has been informed?" he asked as he took the head-set.

"Yes, sir. We will drop out of hyperspace in a few moments and then we leave for Lalesh."  
"Excellent. No time to waste." Rhen Joul shrugged out of his long tunic and flicked his muscular tail with a smile, before he donned the head-set that would allow him to communicate with his fellow pilotes. Horal Shir was a competent enough commander, despite his irritating behaviour back there. He would manage without the Salva for a few days. Looking up, he checked on the slender tubes that held his fighter tethered to the ceiling. Then he opened the lower hatch of the small vessel and slipped inside. The controls were all cramped into the slender nose of the fighter and a harness was suspended from the ceiling to assist the pilot in keeping his balance during take-off and landing. Rhen Joul plugged in the receiver of his headcomm and put on the harness, then pressed a button over his head and grinned, when a hole opened above him and cold salt water poured into the compartment. Soon it filled the ship from top to bottom. By then Rhen Joul had already contracted the muscles in his throat to close his windpipe off and switched to breathing through his gills. He briefly considered unlocking the harness once more, then decided against it. A discreet pinging noise warned him of the ship's imminent return to realspace. Inside the cocoon of cold water he felt nothing, but when the hangar door opened into infinity he smiled, as his slim vessel was shot out into the darkness of space like a silver arrow. The engines ignited automatically and he set course for Lalesh, his companions by his side.

He set his jaw grimly, his face fixed into a rigid grimace as his lips remained peeled back all the way to reveal his sharp teeth and gills. Why had the Star Keeper not warned them of these intruders? Checking on their coordinates he gave a satisfied not. Well. In a few hours he would know more.

"Are you ready to leave now?" Maraan asked, with little hope. He shivered where he sat. The cold was seeping through the thin fabric that separated him from the bare ground and he felt really uncomfortable. The creature had refused to accompany them back to the capital and before Alen'Di could lose his temper again Maraan had mediated a truce. The creature, who obviously expected any obstacle to remove itself from its path out of its own volition, had explained quite patiently that the labyrinth might help it remember. It spoke to it and triggered something within its soul, it claimed. Alen'Di, realising that it would not back down and a refusal of its request would only spark more violence, had granted it a night's respite. Curious, Maraan had volunteered to keep it company, but now he was regretting that decision sincerely. The creature was crouching in the middle of the labyrinth, eyes closed, the palms of its hands resting on the ground before it. It had not moved once as the hours flew by and darkness engulfed the valley. Now the first rosy light of morning flowed down the sheer walls of the cliffs and Maraan felt his legs twitch. A cramp. Great. With a sigh he struggled upright and almost stumbled, as his muscles refused to support his body. "I said, are you ready to leave now?" he repeated a bit more loudly and walked over to the creature cautiously. Its head came up abruptly and in its pale eyes he saw its thoughts resurface from whatever dimension they had lingered in for the past hours. It stood, to Maraan's mild annoyance never wavering, and turned to face him fully. "Someone's coming," it said. A frown appeared on its forehead, but it vanished as quickly as it had come and in its stead the creature flashed Maraan a quick, cold smile. "Let's go back to the spire. I am certain that your friend Alen'Di is anxiously waiting for us." It strode away into the labyrinth without waiting for Maraan, who stumbled after it hurriedly. "What was that?" he demanded anxiously.

"What was what?"

"That – that grimace! I thought you had felt something, perhaps, or remembered. You said someone is coming. How can you tell?"

The thing stopped and turned to stare at him in disbelief. "You mean you do not know that the entire planet vibrates when a landing ship drives the wind through the catacombs below the surface?"

"This is not my home-world," Maraan retorted sharply out of embarrassement. But then he turned innocently curious once more. "Is that why you touched the ground in the center of the labyrinth?"

The creature hesitated, then replied, "Sort of. But there was more to that. The past speaks to me, you see?"

"What does it tell you?"

"Nothing that should interest you," the creature answered curtly, but Maraan could tell that it was disturbed about something. What was it it had seen in the past? Of course, he could imagine that experiencing what had occurred here all those years ago was horrendous in itself, but he also believed that it was not the deaths of those people that put the creature on edge. Not, after he had witnessed how indifferent it could be in killing those who stood in its way. So what was on its mind?

"Let's go, Maraan." There was an edge to its voice that allowed for no rebuttal. And so the Star Keeper kept silent and follwed the creature out into the dawn. They did not have to walk far. Alen'Di had wisely left some guards behind and they silently took the two of them back to the citadel, where they were told that the queen was already waiting for them. With her was, of course, her guardian, but also someone else, someone Maraan had not expected at all. For a moment he stood in the doorway, hesitating, enthralled by the warrior's presence at the queen's side. But he had met Rhen Joul before, he knew a bit of him, and automatically his eyes flicked back to see how the strange creature reacted toward the Lappa, only to find it smiling knowlingly at the newcomer. "I smell death," it declared haughtily as it strode forward to confront the Lappayan Salva. Cocking its head to one side it asked, "There was a battle?"

"How do you know?" Rhen Joul demanded with a suspicious frown on his forehead and for a second his lips peeled back to reveal his sharp teeth. To Maraan's surprise the creature recoiled at the sight of this hostile display and its face turned very pale. Curious, the Star Keeper wandered a little further into the room to see better, but he was intercepted by Alen'Di, who looked just as disturbed as Maraan was curious. "What in the star's name was that about?" the Guardian hissed in a low voice. Marran shrugged. "I have no idea, let's see how this plays out," he suggested amiably and gently pushed Alen'Di aside.

"How do you know?" Rhen Joul was just repeating and Maraan noticed that he had taken hold of the creature's arm. For all it's menacing demeanour back in the sanctuary, next to the warrior it appeared almost diminutive. And knowing about the poisonous tubes that were the Lappan's fingers, Maraan feared for his protégé, and was astonished at himself that he thought of the creature as his charge. Strange. When had he thrown his misgivings overboard? Back in the sanctuary? He had not made that decision consciously, that he was certain of. With a frown he mused that perhaps there was far more to this stranger than he knew, something magical.

"I know," the creature answered at last, and tried to free itself, but the Lappan's fingers dug only deeper into its skin, holding tight. "Let go!"

Rhen Joul firmly shook his head. "No, not before you tell me exactly what you meant. This is important."

"I wonder how?" the queen asked gently as she joined the two of them. An instant later Alen'Di was by her side to protect her. "You said you smelled death. I second Salva Rhen Joul's question and I also have one of my own." Here she turned toward Rhen Joul. "You said you needed the star Keeper's advice. Am I correct to assume this has to do with the portents of battle?"

"Yes, my queen, it does," the warrior replied gently. "Strange ships have been scouting out the Lappayan territories. They have tried to test our fleet's abilities in a trap designed to observe our reactions. I have reason to assume that these strangers are hostile and prepare an attack. Therefore I was hoping to find out more from the Star Keeper. But perhaps this – person – knows more. What is your name?"

"Syran Dill," the creature replied and gasped, seemingly surprised at its own answer.

"You speak Lappayan?" Rhen Joul asked, aghast.

Maraan, who had been rendered as speechless by the thing's reply just as the others, only now came to his senses and injected, "He lost his memory when he came here and since then we have found out that he is a priest of sorts. His name, "Enduring Wisdom", proves that," he explained to those who did not understand the language of Rhen Joul's people. "Syran Dill, that is really your name? You remember, don't you?" he added gently, addressing the priest himself.

The man stood silent for a while, and his pale eyes were filled with such utter amazement, that Maraan did not dare to repeat his question, but the queen was less shy. "Syran Dill," she said, "Tell us how you came here, then. Or do you intend to keep that secret now that you remember why you suffered amnesia?"

"I wish I would not remember," Syran sighed. he shook his head as if to rid himself of a particularly disturbing thought, then smiled at Rhen Joul. "The ships that attacked you, they will destroy you, if you do not destroy them first."

"How do you know?" the Salva demanded and stood back with a sceptical look in his eyes.

"I know."

Maraan noticed the slight edge in the man's vocie and thought that Syran's patience must eb wearing thin. There was something he had remembered that required further thought, that much was clear, and it was also obvious that the priest wanted nothing more than to do his thinking undisturbed. Perhaps, once he was clear on his feelings, he would share that secret with them. But not right now. Carefully he stepped forward and put a hand on Syran's shoulder. "Will you follow me? I think we should all rest. It has been a long night. In the meantime, perhaps, Rhen Joul can give us further details of his close encounter."

After a moment's hesitation the queen gave an approving nod and even Rhen Joul seemed to agree. Alen'Di, though, was not satisfied. "Now that you remember," he pressed out, "Perhaps you will admit responsibility for killing two of our people."

"I already told Maraan that the responsibility was theirs. They attacked me. Their death was not intended."

"They are still dead," the queen reminded him.

"I know them to be sheltered in the faith of the Abernake. That is all the solace their relatives will need."

"You are very cold, for a priest, Syran," Rhen Joul commented drily. "Perhaps the Star Keep er is mistaken about your profession?"  
"I am a warrior, and a priest," Syran shrugged. "I fight for my faith, if that is what you want to know. And, before you ask, I will not answer any questionis about the past, until I myself am certain why all this has happened." It was a cryptic reply, but the look in his eyes forebade any further conversation on that topic. So Maraan half turned toward the door, an invitation that Syran took at once. Just as the two of them passed beneath the door Maraan heard Rhen Joul say, "I want him with me, when I return to the fleet. Both of them."


End file.
